Lori L. Clark's Blog, page 179

Book Review: Found In You

FOUND IN YOU (Fixed, #2) by Laurelin Paige: Alayna Withers has only had one kind of relationship: the kind that makes her obsessive and stalker-crazy. Now that Hudson Pierce has let her into his heart, she’s determined to break down the remaining walls between them so they can build a foundation that’s based on more than just amazing sex. Except Hudson’s not the only one with secrets.

With their pasts pulling them into a web of unfounded mistrust, Alayna turns to the one person who knows Hudson the best—Celia, the woman he almost married. Hoping for insight from someone who understands all sides of the story, Alayna forms a bond with Celia that goes too far—revealing things about Hudson that could end their love for good.

This is the first relationship where Alayna hasn’t spiraled out of control. And she might lose Hudson anyway…

TeriLyn's thoughts: Found in You was a great follow-up to Fixed On You. Hudson and Alayna are fixated on each other. They believe in themselves more and more because of the need they feel for each other. However, their relationship is a mess, in my opinion, because of Alayna's admitted insecurities. She is so vulnerable to Hudson and tip toes around their issues because she's so scared of her past coming back to haunt her. She works on managing a few wrong relationships in this story in an effort to protect her relationship with Hudson. She has put a force field around them because she holds the relationship so sacred. Her fear of losing him is overwhelming and suffocating her at times. And while Hudson too has an ugly past, here we see him becoming so much more than the ugly. 

I enjoyed Hudson immensely in this book. He's forgiving, he looks past her faults always, and uses his manipulations to keep her near not hurt her. These two characters are so unique from other's I've read. The both have some extreme sociopathic tendencies that they're constantly working to keep in check. They have found kindred spirits in each other and are finally embracing real love. The trials they face are proving that they can overcome their pasts. They fight a lot and their fights are some of my favorite scenes. It's when they're most open, vulernable, raw, and honest which leads to intense physical connections that are equally as great. The villains of the book are equally as entertaining. I could sense the plotting from the first meeting while the main characters are in the dark. There are a couple of twists but no cliff hanger, which I love, and the writing is really good. I'm excited to read the conclusion to Hudson and Alayna's story in Forever With You.

Book Review: Finding Cinderella

FINDING CINDERELLA by Colleen Hoover: A chance encounter in the dark leads eighteen-year-old Daniel and the girl who stumbles across him to profess their love for each other. But this love comes with conditions: they agree it will only last one hour and it will only be make-believe.

When their hour is up and the girl rushes off like Cinderella, Daniel tries to convince himself that what happened between them only seemed perfect because they were pretending it was perfect. Moments like that with girls like her don’t happen outside of fairytales.

One year and one bad relationship later, his disbelief in insta-love is stripped away the day he meets Six: a girl with a strange name and an even stranger personality. Daniel soon realizes the way he pretended to feel about Cinderella and the way he really feels about Six may not be so different after all. Especially when the two loves of his life end up being one in the same.

Unfortunately for Daniel, finding Cinderella doesn’t guarantee their happily ever after…it only further threatens it

Whairigail's thoughts: **5 "I've Missed You", Loving, Sweet, Surprising Hearts"**

Colleen Hoover - You can do no wrong.

None.

Not even a little bit.

Finding Cinderella is a Novella linked to Hopeless & Losing Hope but can be read as a stand-alone.

In Hopeless & Losing Hope, we meet Daniel - Holder's crazy, off his rocker, best friend. I don't know about other readers, but I always felt Daniel had more of a story to tell.

WHAT A STORY HE HAD!!

Six is Sky's best friend. You remember - the Crazy one who went to Italy for a Year as an Exchange Student? Yeah, her.
“Oh, my bad,” Sky interrupts. She points back and forth between Ice Cream Girl and me. “Six, this is Dean’s best friend, Daniel. Daniel, this is my best friend, Six.”

There is no "spark" between these two...

No, there is FULL BLOWN FIREWORKS! Like The Biggest and Best Display you have ever seen, filled with colour, pazazz, explosions and joy.

For being such a short story, this has everything. A strong beginning, an acrtion filled middle, a shock (aka Heart Attack Inducing) ending and everything in between.

I Love Love Love Love Love Love Love Love Love Love Love Love Love it!!

Plus...ITS FREE ON AMAZON BECAUSE COLLEEN HOOVER IS AWESOME!!

Just go read it. That is an order.

Book Review: Seductive Secrecy

SEDUCTIVE SECRECY (Shadows, #2) by Marni Mann: “We were two broken souls who had found each other in a world of shadows. We were held together by a connection of secrets, dark and fearful and reluctant to leave. Their depth was seductive and overwhelming, an endless ocean of black that threatened to cover the brilliance we kept reaching for with each other.”

With her art career flourishing and the mansion predators no longer a threat, Charlie is creating a new life. Her desires have changed, and she has a chance at a healthy, loving relationship with Cameron—if they can bury the memories and doubts that plague them.

Can they overcome the destruction of their clouded pasts, or will the revelation of more painful, shocking secrets pull them back into the shadows?

TeriLyn's thoughts: **I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review**

Seductive Secrecy is so good; you have to read this book. It's better than good, it's truly perfect. I had no idea what to expect plot-wise after the first book (Seductive Shadows) but I absolutely loved the journey the author took us on. Ms. Mann’s contrasts between light and dark, letting go and holding on are so interesting. Her writing is hauntingly dark yet brilliantly bright at the same time; it’s captivating.

Charlie and Cameron's growth from the ending of book one until now is exponential; Charlie especially. Her strength and fortitude is inspiring. The way she handles certain shocking twists in the plot is so real and honest. Charlie's honesty is what I admire most about her. Demons are still alive in Charlie no matter how much she tries to bury them. Her feelings about those demons and the darkness that will always be a part of her is so raw and revealing the truth about that darkness to Cameron, so real. Charlie has many beautiful moments of realization throughout this story. The introduction of a certain character in the story and the development of their short relationship is one of those beautiful moments. Through this self-discovery she begins to embrace the darkness that lies within her and finds ways to use it that suit her life with Cameron. Charlie’s self-discovery is continual throughout the story and her resolve is perpetually strengthening. Charlie is a great heroine; layered and complex. Her beauty, having been tainted by ugly for far too long, is memorizing and begging to shine.

Cameron Hardy, talk about layered and complex. He is so nuanced; specifically designed to expose Charlie’s beauty. Cameron's mysterious romance is my favorite part about him. His darkly romantic gestures are intriguing. The depth of his emotion and passion is limitless. Cameron innately recognizes how to help her evolve subsequently causing evolution within him. His vulnerability and brokenness is a huge part of his allure. His honesty, too, just gets to me. The ebb and flow of their relationship, the push and pull, are what makes them who they are together. They strengthen each other in very different ways; they make each other whole. Figuring all the other outside influences out is where their struggle happens because their connection is uncanny. As crazy and messed up as these two could actually be beyond what they are; they're crazy about each other and the honest, real feelings between them is the brightness in the their story. Cameron is a true hero to me. He’s beautifully broken and exquisitely passionate. He accepts Charlie exactly as she is and accepts that she helps him breathe.

The secondary characters, whether foe or friend, are important as well each weaved expertly throughout to further thicken the plot. The story is structured in such a way that each introduction of an outside character is vital, providing added layers of growth to both the hero and heroine.

I'm in awe of Ms. Mann’s brilliant writing. I feel privileged having had the opportunity to read an ARC of Seductive Secrecy. I commend her on creating this hauntingly beautiful, unforgettable story about love in light and in darkness. Through her words I became a part of Charlie’s dark world and was introduced to two phenomenal characters and had the honor to read their epic love story unfold both beautifully and painfully. Seductive Secrecy is so brilliantly written it will absorb you into their world and make it hard to believe you’re not actually living in it. Everyone who likes dark contemporary romance should read this series, you won’t regret it, Marni Mann makes sure of that.

Amazon Top 10 New Adult Books: October 20, 2013

These are the top 10 bestselling New Adult books as listed on Amazon.com at the time of posting! (Single titles only).


1. Treasure Your Love by JC Reed: Meeting Jett was like a drug. Dangerous. Addictive. And better forbidden. In his game, there's a high price to be paid. But how much is too much?



Brooke Stewart, a realtor in New York, was never in love until she met the green-eyed, sexy as sin, six foot two sex god, Jett. The man to whom she surrendered. The man who hurt her once only to conquer her heart again.




2. Undeclared (The Woodlands) by Jen Frederick: For four years, Grace Sullivan wrote to a Marine she never met, and fell in love. But when his deployment ended, so did the letters. Ever since that day, Grace has been coasting, academically and emotionally. The one thing she's decided? No way is Noah Jackson -- or any man -- ever going to break her heart again.

Noah has always known exactly what he wants out of life. Success. Stability. Control. That's why he joined the Marines and that's why he's fighting his way -- literally -- through college. Now that he's got the rest of his life on track, he has one last conquest: Grace Sullivan. But since he was the one who stopped writing, he knows that winning her back will be his biggest battle yet.


3. Surrender Your Love by JC Reed: Meeting Jett was like lightning. Dangerous. Better left untouched. And better forgotten. But lightning always strikes twice.

Brooke Stewart, a realtor in New York, doesn't do relationships. When she's sent to a remote estate to finalize a real estate deal, she discovers her new boss is no other than the guy she left naked in bed.

Sexy, dangerously handsome, and arrogant Jett Mayfield attracts trouble, and women, like a lightning rod. But the night he meets Brooke he gets more than he bargained for. The green-eyed millionaire playboy isn't used to taking no for an answer, and he isn't about to start now.


4. Long After (Sometimes Never) by Cheryl McIntyre: For Annie Phillips, there is a right way to do things and everything has a place. College and her flawless GPA are top priority, as is planning her perfect future. Anything less than perfection is unacceptable. So when she meets Loden Guiles, she believes she has finally found her perfect happily-ever-after.

Chase Malloy is funny, loyal, and an all around nice guy. He’s also sloppy, tattooed, and undirected. All Chase wants to do is survive college, hang out with friends, and make music. Knowing his best friend’s step-sister since they were fourteen, Annie and he have always had a love-hate relationship. The last thing Chase expects is to fall for Annie, but he knows he’ll never live up to her idea of the perfect man.


5. When it Rains by Lisa De Jong: One night changed my life forever.

Beau Bennett has been my best friend since I can remember. He was my first crush before everything came crashing down, and now he wants more, but it's more than I can give him. Things are different now. I wish I could tell him why, but I can't. I haven’t told anyone. I never knew how much I really needed him until the day he left for college, and I was completely alone.

Then one day, Asher Hunt rides into town with his dark, captivating eyes and cocky grin. He doesn't care who I used to be, he's simply breathing life into what’s left. People warn me to stay away from him, but he helps me forget the pain that has held me hostage for so long; something I thought was impossible before he walked into my life.


6. Conquer Your Love by JC Reed: Brooke Stewart, a realtor in New York, finds forgetting is hard, but forgiving is harder. When the man she trusted, betrayed her, the only way to forget is to move on. Brooke is determined to start a new life, until she meets him again: the green-eyed, sexy as sin, six foot two sex god. The man who played dirty. The man who played her.

Sexy, handsome, and arrogant Jett Mayfield knows he has made mistakes. He could have any other woman, and yet it's Brooke he wants. When second chances collide with secrets and Brooke is threatened by the past, Jett is determined to protect her. She accepts his help unwillingly because she needs him but she wants to play his game on her own terms. And she has no intention of forgiving or letting him back into her bed.


7. Sweet Home by Tillie Cole: At age twenty, Molly Shakespeare knows a lot. She knows Descartes and Kant. She knows academia and Oxford. She knows that the people who love you leave you. She knows how to be alone.

But when Molly leaves England's grey skies behind to start a new life at the University of Alabama, she finds that she has a lot to learn—she didn't know a summer could be so hot, she didn't know students could be so intimidating, and she certainly didn't know just how much the folks of Alabama love their football.

When a chance encounter with notorious star quarterback, Romeo Prince, leaves her unable to think of anything but his chocolate-brown eyes, dirty-blond hair and perfect physique, Molly soon realises that her quiet, solitary life is about to dramatically change forever.


8. Very Bad Things (Briarcrest Academy) by Ilsa Madden-Mills: Born into a life of privilege and secrets, Nora Blakely has everything any nineteen-year-old girl could desire. She's an accomplished pianist, a Texas beauty queen, and on her way to Princeton after high school. She's perfect. Or is she?

Leaving behind her million-dollar mansion and Jimmy Choos, she changes the course of her life, becoming a girl hell-bent on pushing the limits with alcohol, drugs, and meaningless sex.

Then through a chance encounter, she meets her soulmate. But he doesn't want her.


9. Rainwater Kisses (A Billionaire Love Story) by Krista Lakes, Mel Finefrock: The older sister of Emma LaRue wasn't looking for love. In fact, the last thing Kaylee LaRue thought as she attended her sister's Caribbean wedding was that she would meet a man as confident as Owen Parker. The suave businessman oozed charm, and when that charm was directed at Kaylee, it gave her pause. She couldn't be sure if the man was actually interested in her or just interested in a good time.

In reality, Owen Parker had never met anyone like Kaylee LaRue. The quiet girl from Iowa made him forget to breathe the first time he saw her. When he tried to work his magic, her wit proved to be a match for his, and his charms had no effect. He knew what it looked like- she probably thought that he wanted to have a vacation tryst with her just as Jack Saunders had with Emma. Nothing could be farther from the truth.


10. The Arrangement 10 (Ferro Family) by HM Ward: Volume 10 in the New York Times Bestselling Arrangement Serials

When Avery realizes that her latest client wasn't Sean she doesn't know what to do. This person has invaded her life on a personal level and to make matters worse she doesn't even know who he is. The only good thing that came from it has been seeing Sean again, but now that he's in front of her, she doesn't want to let him go. However, it's time for Avery to stop pretending and move on with her life, and she knows that Sean Ferro will not be part of it.

Blog Tour & Review: Breaking the Rules

BREAKING THE RULES by LK Lewis: Morgan Lane has just completed grad school, and has accepted a job at Baylor Industries with the help of her father, who just so happens to be golf buddies with Drake Baylor Sr., CEO. Morgan has lived her 24 years of life under her parents thumbs, and is more than eager to start living life and carving successful career for herself.

Drake Baylor Jr. is being groomed to take over as CEO of Baylor Industries upon his father’s retirement. Although he was raised in an affluent household, his formative years were rough, leading to a string of bad decisions, and hard lived years. In order to take over as CEO, his father has given him a set of rules to live by for an indefinite period of time: No drugs, limited alcohol consumption, and absolutely no relationships whatsoever with women-his greatest weakness. If Drake can abstain from those three things, work hard, and gain his father’s trust, he can have the keys to the Kingdome.Drake meets Morgan on her first day at Baylor Industries, and the phrase “love at first sight” doesn’t even come close to describing what is felt between them. Their instant attraction is a magnetic pull that is stronger than either one of them can handle. Now Drake and Morgan are faced with figuring out how to fight for their future together, hoping not to get caught “Breaking the Rules”.
Emma's thoughts: 

Well let me start by saying that I will try and keep this review as spoiler free as possible but there maybe a few bits in there.

I rate this book as 3 hearts which means that to me it was ok, I didn’t love it but didn't dislike it either.

The main thing that I found slightly annoying was that they were declaring their love at just over 100 pages in, which even in books is slightly unbelievable and quite cheesy! Lust....yes, love....no – that could come into it later.

Having said that I liked Morgan as a character, having come from money but wanting to succeed on her own and Drake seemed quite hot but a little too soft, would of preferred him to be more edgy with more sexual tension thrown into the mix.

So overall this book was okay – would I read book 2? I’m not sure.






Tour schedule

Book Blast & Giveaway: Waterfall

WATERFELL PRE-ORDER CONTESTIf you preorder Waterfell by OCTOBER 28th 2013, 200 random winners will receive a signed Waterfell bookmark, signed bookplate, and a cool Waterfell tattoo. In addition to this prize pack, you will be entered to a super-awesome grand prize: an IPAD MINI (worth $350).



Here’s how to enter:

You must preorder Waterfell (physical or e-book) by OCTOBER 28th to be entered into the giveaway. To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below. No entries after October 28th will be counted. If your name is drawn for the grand prize, we will verify your emailed receipt that matches the date you entered (since this prize has a cash value). All receipts MUST be submitted prior to the draw date. If we pick a winner and no receipt has been submitted, another winner will be chosen. ALL ENTRIES WILL BE VERIFIED.

NOTE: The prize for this contest is not open internationally because of issues with taxes on mailing gifts. But if you are an international reader, you should definitely still preorder Waterfell. If you are one of the 200 prize pack winners, you will receive the signed bookmark, signed bookplate and tattoo. Every qualifying entrant (see prize rules) will receive a #WaterfellProm ticket for another chance to win an iPad Mini.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Release Day Blitz: Discovery

Nine months ago, Teagan Matthews' boyfriend disappeared and took her sense of stability with him. But when the opportunity to live with her aging grandmother in Salem arises, she decides it's time to get on with her life. A new home, new job, and new friends are adding up to a beautiful summer...

...until a young girl's body shows up one night in town, wearing a pentagram necklace exactly like Teagan's.

Now a guy, looking remarkably like her missing boyfriend, has arrived in Salem along with a mysterious stranger, who may have some answers that Teagan has desperately been searching for. Teagan must now decide who to trust. It's a matter of life... and her death.
Purchase on Amazon




About Brina Courtney
Brina Courtney is a young adult author obsessed with chocolate, crime shows, and fantasy movies. She’s spent the last few years as an elementary teacher and a high school cheering coach. She lives in a small town in Pennsylvania with her husband and two very loud, small dogs.
Links:

WebsiteFacebookTwitterGoodreads

Cover Reveal: Unremembered Things

UNREMEMBERED THINGS by Rachel Tsoumbakos: One woman, two worlds and nothing but UNREMEMBERED THINGS separating them.

Indiana Shamira has a dark secret that could shatter her very existence and get her killed in the process. Now if only she could remember what it is…

Life is hard when you have amnesia. Indiana Shamira found that out the hard way when she woke one morning and found her whole life had been erased. Getting up out of bed and slipping her feet into fluffy purple slippers she could only assume were hers; she had the task of having to discover the world around her once more.

When she finds a vampire called Sam hanging from the rafters in her cellar, she knows things are about to get nasty. Not only does Sam know all about her previous life, but he seems intent on seducing her as well. Of course her boyfriend, Kurt, has different ideas – like making her open the portal to hell!

And then there is the nagging suspicion that Indiana is not entirely human, now she can see ghostly images from the Otherworld. Or could it be from her past life? They include the flickering effigy of Kurt and a redwood forest that conjures up repressed magic.

Not only will Indiana have to risk everything to keep the door to another dimension closed, she will have to decide whether she is ready to lose her heart to someone who has more secrets than herself.

Set in the lush Australian bush, UNREMEMBERED THINGS is a fusion of fantasy and forbidden romance.

Book Review: Uncharted

UNCHARTED by Tracey Garvis-Graves: Tracey Garvis Graves - and Anna and T.J. - return in this companion novella to the New York Times bestseller On the Island

When twenty-three-year-old dot-com millionaire Owen Sparks walked away from his charmed life, he had one goal in mind: get as far away as possible from the people who resented his success, or had their hand out for a piece of it. A remote uncharted island halfway around the world seemed like a perfectly logical place to get away from it all.

Calia Reed wasn't part of Owen's plans. The beautiful British girl - on holiday in the Maldives with her brother, James - made Owen wonder if getting away from it all might be a lot more enjoyable with a carefree girl who didn't know anything about the life he left behind.

But Owen had no idea how much his carefully detailed plans would go awry. Nor did he realize that a decision he made would have such a catastrophic effect on two passengers who boarded a plane in Chicago.

And when Owen shows up at Anna and T.J.'s door with an incredible story to tell, everyone involved will learn just how much their lives are intertwined.

Uncharted includes an early look at Covet, coming September 2013.

Whairigail's thoughts: **5 Stunning, Uplifting, Heart Warming Stars**

I devoured this book in a few hours. No really, I actually started it whilst I was waiting on my bath to run.

I never made it to the bath.

It was THAT good!

This book is utterly captivating. Owen Sparks is such a likeable, relaxing character. He is not an Alpha male (which I have come to love over the last year or so), he is not angst-filled or consumed by anger. It was SO REFRESHING.

The first page of this grips you. And you begin to get that sense of wonder that came with reading On The Island - It makes you nervous, excited and interested all at the same time.

Uncharted starts from way before On The Island, when Owen Sparks starts his story of "Get away from Modern Life". He is filling in all the Gaps from Anna & TJ's story.

That's all I'm going to tell you...YOU HAVE TO READ IT!!

This transports you to somewhere beautiful, somewhere warm, somewhere relaxing. And Miss TG-G does such a wonderful job of this. She can transport her readers in seconds and keep them there for hours.

Book Review: The Law of Attraction

THE LAW OF ATTRACTION by N.M. Silber: A funny, hot, and sexy new release from N.M. Silber

Once upon a time two lawyers fell in love across a courtroom …

Gabrielle Ginsberg was a public defender with plenty of nerve and Braden Pierce was an assistant district attorney with a whole lot of swagger. Gabrielle wanted Braden and Braden wanted Gabrielle.
And Cameron wanted Gabrielle.
And Marla wanted Braden.
And Cole wanted Gabrielle.
And Mrs. Mason wanted Braden.
And an anonymous letter writer wanted to keep Gabrielle and Braden apart.
Together Gabrielle and Braden discovered many important things, like which doors at the courthouse actually locked, and that desks could be useful for more than writing. They also found out that the path of love was not always smooth, and it was sometimes trod upon by some really wacky people, like a confused fanny grabber, an eighty-two year old pothead and a gentleman who threw a wine and cheese party in his pants. Could true love overcome a lack of privacy, interference by jealous rivals and the insanity of the criminal court system?

NOTICE: This book contains explicit descriptions of sexual situations and mature language. It is intended for readers over the age of eighteen.
Kath's thoughts: I have been marathoning Suits episodes these past few days and since this book is about Law, I figured to read this book based on my mood. This book really does fit in my mood and it turns out that it’s a good read too. Okay I’m guilty I judge this book by its cover and by its title (haha guilty and judged? Oh the irony) Well anyways, this book is smooth, funny (hilariously funny), and definitely steamy.

The story is about a girl named Gabrielle Ginsberg, a public defender who argues in court (a lot) with Braden Pierce, who is an assistant district attorney. So it’s in their job to argue (a lot), but then something between them is unknown like there’s an attraction between them, pulling them together, a sexual attraction perhaps? Of course Gabby is not the kind of girl who wants a one night stand and surely you’ve figured out that Braden’s not the kind of guy who’s into relationship either. So not to spoil the story or anytime find out how did they overcome this sexual frustration within them?

And Oh! I almost forgot! N.M. Silber writing style is just amazeballs. I mean really? Like who would have thought of those cases for Gabrielle and Braden? Even the judge is amaze by the problems given to him. And the twist in the story, that creepy mysterious letter sender, just when I thought Gabby and Braden’s is having their happily ever after. Again I liked this book. It’s something different and of course two lawyers doing the deed? Find out if they ever did it on the courtroom! Ha!